More engine photos

My 16 year old son Joe posed for my avatar photo last week. He's in my avatar photo to the left.

Here are a few more photos of my engine bay. I'm curious if the attachment bolts were zinc/cad clear or black phosphate? I know some marques have specific judging guides like C1 and C2 Corvettes. Is there a written manual that describes the finishes of bolts, etc for '53 Chevy trucks?

Help is always appreciated. I've restored mid-60's cars before but never an early 50's Chevy truck.

Best,
Tony

 

Looks pretty untouched. Good starting point.

 

I agree, except for the lower radiator hose. I hate those "universal, fits all!" pieces of junk.

 

Flex Hoses

Yeah ! GRRRRRRRr........ .

I tossed the crispy one off my '76 Jimmy (note clever insertion of the correct GMC RED as it was not only fugly but it was rubbing the backside of the PS pump pulley .

They've saved my bacon more than once far from home though .

I really like this old blue AD ~ please note that the cowl vent drain hose is ever so slightly angled off to the driver's side so dripping water doesn't wet the rockerbox ~ another detail always missed on ' restorations ' .

I'm quite envoious ofthis fine old truck , not a whole lot like it are left these days .

 

Looks like a really original 54. Nice one to restore. I have a 54. It was an early restoration (92) but is all stock except for Fenton Headers and duals with long stainless tips. Do you have the book Chevrolet Pickups by Mike Mueller? My 54 is on the first double color page in Medium Cream. tippy283

 

Great looking 54. Super truck for restoration. tippy283

 

Nate. I found your old posts on a recommended radial tire, so I emailed Diamondback to get a price. I'm still waiting.

I think at this point while I'm doing all my research, I'm just going to buy some new tires, have the seat redone so I can just drive it and see what I have. It'll give me time to ask all the questions I have (most questions haven't even occurred to me yet) and get some answers in my head

Restorations are a process-not an event, right?

Everyone's inputs are appreciated!!!

 

I agree Nate, almost makes me want to start another project...
BtW, from the firewall pictures, it looks like there has been some re-wiring done once upon a time. My '53 had the cotton braided wires. When did Chevy start to use wires with the smooth plastic insulation?
I am amazed that the e-brake cables are still intact - heck I started to fix my emergency Brake cables and ended up restoring the whole truck...

 

' The Process '

Just So ! .

You'll find that Just Tires and America's Tire Store , among others can all get the correct size LT Radial tires in blackwall , they'll say no they can't and try to sell you some crappo too small diameter tires they have handy instead but presevere as 1/4" of outer diamter makes a HUGE difference when you're tooling that old 216 down the open road...

DRIVE IT ! tune it ! LOVE IT !! .

You'll soon see what I've been babbling about since 196- er , nevermind .

InLine 6's ~ more addictive than drugs and more socially acceptable too .

 

Isn't that a 216 valve cover?

 

216 C.I.D. Babbit Pounder

Yes , it is and likely the original engine too.....

 

To use to seeing the 235's in them, but the old farmers used what ever was available if something went bad.

 

Right ,

That's how so many wound up with 235s ~ when I were a laddie , 99 % still had the 216 .

 

correct engine color

Nate. The color of my engine appears to be black or a dark graphite gray. The resto paints out there seem to be a medium gray. Do you think the correct color is the black/dark graphite gray, or do you think time has darkened my original engine color and the correct color is the medium gray being sold by the resto companies?

Tony

 

It is a medium grey. Look in my assembly thread for pic.s

 

216 Engine Color

Medium grey *but* I have seen these darker engines too .

Black 216's came from Cars .

It might be a regional build thing , I don't know .

 

216 CI Engine color from 54-62 is blue !

Engine color

First of all clean the whole lot very well.The result when painting the block will get great then. I can advice you to use 2 component surface paint heat res. Bill Hirsch has the excact color match fore your 216 CI engine block wich is blue. Chevy trucks 54-62 and automatic 53. had this color. Before that the engines where grey.

http://www.hirschauto.com/

Martinius.

 

Blue was for the 235 in the cars. Trucks were grey.

 

Complete engine color chart.

The mentioned engine is an 216 and not a 235 Stovebolt. After my knowledge there does not exist a book with the excact engine colors. Chevrolet engine colors are therefore assumption as the different plants used different colors. In many cases people choose what ever they like anyhow.

Here comes the so far complete list.

http://www.1954advance-design.com/Web%20images/PPIP/PPIP-1912-1966-EngineColors.html